Share of respondents describing the EU as bureaucratic in 2022

Across the European Union, there is a general consensus among citizens that the institutions of the EU are bureaucratic. While bureaucracy usually carries with it a negative connotation, as it is thought of as resulting in slow and cumbersome processes which are defined by the centralized institutions in Brussels, this is not necessarily how citizens in all member states think of bureaucracy.

'Eurocrats' or guardians of the rule of law?

The term can also signify an element of competence and capacity to deal with issues in a way that follows the rule of law, rather than political or economic concerns (this could be a particularly prevalent view in countries who deal with higher domestic corruption). Nevertheless, EU bureaucracy, sometimes referred to pejoratively in the media as "Eurocracy" and "eurocrats", is often used as a rhetorical device by eurosceptic movements to drive up dissatisfaction with the union.

Eurosceptic movements' rhetorical use of bureaucracy

The dissatisfaction with EU bureaucracy can be seen in movements such as the 'leave' campaign in the Brexit referendum which carried a slogan of "taking back control" from Brussels-based bureaucrats. This is one of the issues in the future which is likely to define debates about the EU, as European federalists aim to expand the power of the centralized institutions to have effective state capacity. In contrast, eurosceptics aim to secure greater national autonomy to pursue policy objectives divergent from those defined by the European Commission.